all good things are wild and free

Dear Mr. Andrew Fuckwad Becker of the American Cancer Society

Yes, I called you Fuckwad. You have really, really pissed a lot of people off. I would really hate to be you right now. Actually, you know what? I’ve changed my mind. I would trade places with you, in an instant. Do you know why? Because when I was trying to find a picture of your pathetic face tonight, to print out and attach to my punching bag, I read that you have 3 children. 3 healthy children. I too, had 3 children. 3 boys to be exact. Now I have just 2 boys, among the living. I had to have my 3-year-old son, Ronan, cremated, just 8 months ago because he died from childhood cancer. It sucks to be you because of the ignorance you have chosen to display and the backlash you are going to receive. But it really, really sucks to be me because I have a child who is dead. So therefore, I would trade places with you in an instant. I would rather have my head on a platter, with 3 healthy kids, whom you get to tuck in at night, then to have to be the parent of one who has died from this “rare,” disease called childhood cancer.

Have you even given any thought to all the kids who suffer and die from childhood cancer? This rare disease of childhood cancer which is actually in fact the NUMBER 1 CAUSE OF DEATH BY DISEASE FOR CHILDREN! I really doubt it because I’m sure you are too busy hiding behind your big, fancy desk in your big, fancy suit. I have given a lot of thought to all the kids who are suffering or who have suffered from childhood cancer. One in particular, my Ronan. My Ronan who was the love of my life. Who was the most beautiful little boy who ever existed and I’m not just saying this because I’m his mom. Anybody who knows of Ronan and our story, will tell you this. A lot of people know about Ronan because he was that amazing. Did I forget to mention that I too, have a blog? I do, all because of Ronan. As of now, I have 2,264,051 million hits on this little blog of mine. They all know about Ronan, and now, they are all going to know about you too. I am going to post your words below, just so my little blog readers can get an idea of exactly what you have written. I’ll let them decide for themselves, if you are indeed the fuckwad that I have called you out as being tonight.

Bald Barbie Demand is an Over-Reach

We apologize if the below post offended some of our readers. We realize that in our zeal to highlight an issue that deserves debate, we may have sounded insensitive. This post was written to provoke debate about the proliferation of products marketed to raise awareness, and we think asked legitimate questions. We believe discussions like this can help focus all our efforts more closely on our shared goal of defeating cancer.

You may have seen in the news that a Facebook campaign is underway to pressure Mattel, the maker of Barbie Dolls, to manufacture a bald Barbie. Cancer is one of, but not the sole reason for this campaign. The group’s Facebook page notes,

“We would like to see a Beautiful and Bald Barbie made to help young girls who suffer from hair loss due to cancer treatments, Alopecia or Trichotillomania. Also, for young girls who are having trouble coping with their mother’s hair loss from chemo.”

To the extent that this effort is about fighting cancer, we should ask ourselves what it accomplishes, who would benefit, and while we’re at it, how about asking if a bald Barbie could in fact do more harm than good for kids and parents, not to mention Mattel.

In a world already littered with cancer totems such as rubber bracelets and pink everything (a limited number of which are from ACS initiatives) , do we need one more thing whose function is to “raise awareness” about cancer? Is raising awareness worthwhile? Over at Mary Tyler Mom, who herself is the mother of a child who died from cancer, the answer is a resounding “no.” She makes the excellent suggestion that a donation of $10-$20 to support cancer research would make far more of an impact than buying a doll.

We know that funding more research is key, and every dollar helps, but who would benefit from sales of these dolls? Would it really be about fundraising?

The downside to raising awareness has been well documented by activists in the breast cancer arena. Awareness of breast cancer, for example, has been so thoroughly achieved, and many women are so afraid of the words breast cancer, that about one in 20 who are diagnosed with LCIS, a condition that may lead to breast cancer, are choosing bilateral mastectomy; the surgical removal of both breasts.

This isn’t to say that awareness doesn’t have an important role in defeating cancer. It can be incredibly important when it comes to informing people about ways to reduce risk or about getting recommended screenings regularly. But there may be better ways to attack childhood cancer. Just like radiation and chemotherapy, awareness must be deployed thoughtfully and carefully.

Childhood cancer is exceedingly rare. I would also argue that cancer is rare among the age group of women likely to have daughters young enough to play with Barbies. Women have about a one in 50 chance of developing any kind of cancer before the age of 40 . Which brings me to the claim that bald Barbies can help improve the self-image of little girls who are faced with having lost their hair, or seeing their mothers lose their hair. If they are mass marketed, many of these dolls will end up in the hands of girls who luckily aren’t likely to be touched by cancer in themselves or their mothers. But could they end up being terrorized by the prospect of it in a far outsized proportion to their realistic chances? There is no reason to create this sort of fear. It’s why we don’t see advocates calling for lightning strike dolls.

My final concern is the no-win position Mattel finds itself in. Last year the company went above and beyond, and made one bald Barbie for a four-year-old who was going through chemotherapy. Now the company risks a severe backlash of ill will if it does not accede to the demands of the social media mob. After all, what is more sympathetic than a little girl with cancer? How could this corporation be so unfeeling as to not make the major investment required to put a new product on store shelves? What happens when the next group demands a custom Barbie to represent its social concerns?

Sadly, some 1340 children under age 14 are projected to die from cancer this year. Each one is a tragedy, and they and their families deserve sympathy and support, but it is critically important to pull back from this exercise in consumer bullying and ask whether the need this movement is rising to meet is as big as imagined, and whether it will result in any meaningful support reaching those who need it.

You totally fucked yourself from the get go when you used the word, “pressure,” in regards to the Facebook campaign to get Mattel on board to make a bald Barbie. Couldn’t you have chosen a nicer word? Who the hell pissed in your cereal this morning to get it off to such a bad start? Nobody is pressuring Mattel to do anything. Some women, came up with a beautiful idea and simply put it on the table. It was such a beautiful idea, that a lot of people have decided to get behind this idea in regards to trying to make it happen. That’s how you get shit done, you presumptions asshole. It’s called passion. It’s called a vision. It’s called a dream. Things that you obviously have no idea about. Things that my Ronan and so many other kids out there will never get to feel because they are being murdered by childhood cancer. MURDERED you Fuckwad!!!!!! Chew on that for a while. Try to swallow that pill without choking on it. And it’s all due to the lack of funding that childhood cancer gets. Because its too sad of a story, because bad things don’t happen to good people, and because their are too many people looking the other way. This is all such bullshit. These kids are our future. We as adults should be screaming the loudest and the hardest for them. They should be the one’s getting the MOST funding out there. I would have traded my life, in a second for Ronan’s but he never even stood a chance and I’m blaming this on our greedy, self absorbed society. Share the fucking wealth. Give these children a voice and a chance! None of them deserve any of this. It’s time to stop looking the other way. I now know this, the hard way. I now know this because I am living proof of what childhood cancer can do to the sweetest most innocent child. I will have to live with this for the rest of my life. I vow to fix this epidemic in this society. So someday, another Ronan won’t have to die. What do you plan to do about this Mr. Andrew Fuckwad Becker? Besides be blinded by your ignorance? I really hope you choose to wake up and be part of this change. I really hope you take this opportunity to take this wrong and turn it into a right. I really hope you change your insensitive ways. I really hope you prove me wrong and make me eat my words to you.

With your pea sized brain, Mr. Asshole Fuckwad Becker, you asked 3 little questions. The first being, “What would having this Barbie made, accomplish?” Look dude, I’m no rocket scientist, but are you even serious with this question? My 8-year-old could this answer question, in his sleep. A better question my be, what WOULDN’T this accomplish? It could accomplish SO MANY THINGS. It could bring the awareness to childhood cancer that it deserves so that one day, maybe a parent will not have to watch helplessly as their child dies. Awareness=Funding and Funding= CURES. The survival rate of breast cancer is proof of that. Even if the making of this Barbie, only accomplished something so small, which is actually huge in my eyes, such as making one child smile…… well that is good enough for me.

Your second question is actually a good one because so many people are so unaware of where the money goes in which they are so generously donating. So, where would all the money go? I have no idea and I don’t care as long as it goes 100% to the research that is actually going to make a difference. As long as it may actually save the life of a child. I selfishly want it all to go to Neuroblastoma, which is what my Ronan died from. It is actually one of the least funded pediatric cancers, but in my mind it should be the one funded most. Obviously I am biased because of my Ronan, but if you had been his parent, you would understand. I have a question for you, Mr. Asshole Fuckwad Becker. Where does all the money go that the American Cancer Society raises? To CEO whom I’m hearing, makes about a million dollars in compensation per year. I know where it doesn’t go. To helping fund and support pediatric cancers. This makes me really sad. I have friends who worked really hard to raise money for the Relay for Life this past year. I will NEVER in my LIFE, support this organization unless some serious changes are made such as supporting childhood cancer. I am not going to support an organization that uses the money to pay overhead, salaries, fringe benefits and FUCKING TRAVEL EXPENSES. I will NEVER support a organization like yours again, Mr. Andrew Fuckwad Becker. I hope my lovely little blog readers will choose to follow my lead on this one. They are pretty amazing and I also know they are pretty pissed so I am not worried about them. I know they are able to sleep at night due to knowing that they are going to help be the change in childhood cancer that we so need. It takes an army, you know. And I have a really, really great army behind me. You, on the other hand may need a long, exotic vacation somewhere in order to sleep again. Please be sure to have an extra margarita, on me. But I won’t be paying for it out of my son’s foundation. I’ll be using that money, to actually make a big dent in this neuroblastoma world. Because due to my son dying, I get to make the world a better place. Lucky, aren’t I???

Your 3rd question is just as stupid as your first. Pull your head out of your asshole, and think about this. I’m pretty sure by now, you can come up with the reasons why the making of this doll, would not harm anyone as long as the proceeds go to the right places. I never knew making a child smile, could hurt someone. Childhood cancer has been ignored for long enough, which is why children are still dying from it. If you are too ignorant to answer this question tonight, Mr. Asshole Fuckwad Becker, I’ll make it easy for you. Ask yourself this. WHAT IF IT WAS YOUR CHILD???????? Awwwwww!!! Did a lightbulb just go off in your head? Did a tear just slide down your cheek?! I doubt it. Because you don’t have a child with cancer and you never will. But guess what? I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it can happen to you. It can happen to anyone!!!! I wouldn’t wish this on anyone or any child. But FUCK. If something like this does ever happen to you or anyone that you know, you are going to feel like the worlds biggest prick; and rightfully so. I hope you know by your little post today, we can all read between the lines. What you are actually saying is, “DON’T RAISE AWARENESS! KEEP KILLING OUR KIDS!” Way to go, Mr. Fuckwad Andrew Becker. I hope you feel like a winner tonight.

Alright Mr. Asshole Fuckwad Becker- I’m going to end this post tonight. Trust me, I could go on and on and on about your dumbass post but I’ve grown tired of you. I’m going to let my lovely little blog readers, handle the rest for me. I’m sure your inbox is being bombarded with emails at this very moment. You’ve now taken my night, and hijacked the writing I get to do to my dead son, due to this “rare disease.” For that alone, you can go and fuck yourself. And no sweet dreams for you. Only for Ro. Always for Ro.

Sincerly in the nicest way possible,

Maya M. Thompson

Ronan’s mama

TO ALL MY LOVELIES,

Here is some more information about our dear new friend, Mr. Asshole Fuckwad Becker. Feel free to let him know your opinions, whatever they may be. I’m sure he’d love to hear from you.

Andrew Becker is Director of Media Relations. He is the New York-based member of the national media relations team. His work includes all patient and family services offered by ACS, as well as global health, corporate finance, and supporting the overall brand. Before joining ACS, Andrew spent a decade using his political communication and public relations training for good instead of evil. He was involved in the first few years of the American Legacy Foundation’s truth campaign, as well as other tobacco prevention work, and counts projects for NIH and the Ad Council among his proudest professional achievements. Andrew is a father of three, so he expects to be working for decades to come. E-mail him at andrew.becker@cancer.org.

Dear Mr. Andrew Fuckwad Becker of the American Cancer Society was last modified: March 2nd, 2012 by rockstarronan

I am going to go dream about YOU kicking Mr. Asshole Fuckwad Becker’s ASS when you are in NY. K?

RARE? 1 is too many–and 50 families were given heartbreaking diagnosis TODAY–and as you know all too well 6 families were DESTROYED today when their babies DIED. SHITLOADS of kids are battling or suffering from cruel side effects of treatment. Fucking idiot. He’s about to hear from Maya’s mafia.

i’ve been waiting all day for this post!! Well said, Mama. I absolutely cannot believe that someone who works for the ACS wrote this, but more than that, I can’t believe the ACS allowed it to be published. Do they want to lose donations? Because it’s not the kids with this ‘rare disease’ that donate their money…it’s the parents, families and friends, the adults, that provide the donations. I’m sorry (not to him but to anyone who is offended by what I say next) but that guy is a cunt.

Ali- I completely agree with you 100%- he reprensents ACS??? That makes me so angry and sad….Maya- I was shocked to hear that Relay For Life funds go to so many other things other than cancer research…my jaw dropped when I read that some of the money goes to TRAVEL EXPENSES for a-holes like Andrew Becker!!! REALLY?? REALLY??? Are you kidding me? Thanks for making us all so aware- especially me since I had been supporting that organization for some time now…Mr. Fuckwad Becker will be hearing from me as well…

This is making my blood boil over. I think my head just popped off and flew across the room.

First of all, what does Andrew Becker know about being a little girl who loses her hair? NOTHING! In his position, it would MAKE SENSE to TRY to put himself in the shoes of a young child instead of taking a completely blasé approach. Shame on you, dude! I was a little girl once and I am a woman who lost all of my hair to chemo. It’s bad enough as an ADULT. I can’t imagine how hard it would be as a child! Kids do NOT like being DIFFERENT. Does that make sense to you Andrew Becker? If you had a young daughter with cancer and ALL OF HER HAIR FELL OUT, would you buy her a bald Barbie? I’m pretty sure that your answer would be YES. Why? Because cancer SUCKS and cancer is SCARY and LOSING YOUR HAIR is scary and BEING BALD sucks! So, you would do ANYTHING possible to make your daughter feel just a little bit better and just a little bit more normal, because that’s what people WHO CARE do!

Dear Mr. Becker,
Please think about what it might possibly feel like to lose one of YOUR OWN children to cancer, before posting thoughtless, heartless, ignorant comments on your blog. I do understand that it’s just that, a “blog” – however, you aren’t just a regular guy on the street with a blog. You are representing a huge, influential, (no longer supported by me & many others) company. And not just any company, but American Cancer Society!?! Can you honestly read your latest post, look at your healthy ALIVE children, and not have ANY regard for children who are dying? Or an ounce of empathy for those who have lost a child to cancer? Shame on you.

Congratulations on making the most ridiculous comments regarding childhood cancer. I hope you were able to yank your foot out of your mouth by now because that is exactly what you did. I hope that your wife had read your statements on childhood cancer and was honest with you about how dumb you sounded – that childhood cancer can happen to ANY child at ANY time including your own. I hope you go to bed tonight thinking about what one of your kids would look like after enduring rounds and rounds of chemo and all the poking and proding and testing and pain and sickness along with LOSING THEIR HAIR. In the grand scheme of childhood cancer losing hair is the least of these kiddos and parents fears. Their main fear is mortality. Their fear is never being able to ride a bike, never go to school, never having sleepovers with their best friends, never graduating high school, never getting married, never living a long – well lived life. If this was your family, your child and could give them one moment of happiness in the painful, lonely, scary world of cancer – wouldn’t you do anything in the world to see light in their eyes? What if that moment of happiness could be a toy that is relatable to what they are going through? What if that toy/doll could be used by doctors or parents to try to explain to a 3 year old what would be happening to them soon so they might be a little less scared?

Not only should your statements be quickly retracted but you should be fired by your organization immediately for being a self centered, pompous, ignorant, insensitive, hurtful ASS.

Hi Maya,
I read that post too, and couldn’t believe what he was saying. I will NEVER donate to ACS again! He is an idiot and I will make sure to tell him that as well! 1 in 50 women will get cancer before 40? 1340 children will die? What the ef is he doing spewing out these statistics as if the numbers are not high? Every one of those people have loved ones that consider them irreplaceable and each one of those children don’t get to grow up. We can’t put a statistic on a human life. And also what about the sheer pleasure of receiving a Barbie that looks just like you (did you take a look at Elizabeth Blair’s You Tube video)? He’s a fool and I hope he is ashamed and embarassed of himself. And I hope you sent him a picture of Ronan so that he too can be forever changed by those eyes….

Well, geeze…you would think that making awareness of bad things like cancer….all types…would be a GOOD thing. But seems that A. Becker feels that there is enough now of that going on, and we don’t have to work so hard about doing that? Maybe it’s time that he look for a different job also! What an idiot!
Email is sent to him…we are burning up his email address….lucky him! You got mail!

Reblogged this on Can I Keep You… and commented:
Hello all my blog Lovies (: I am letting Ronan hijack my post tonight because RONAN MATTERED you FUCKING FUCK Andrew Becker!! and so do ALL of the other ‘rare’ cancer fighting babies that are out there right this second you douchebag! Please spread some awareness about Childhood Cancer. Don’t let anymore babies die because we are all LIED to and told this disease is so fucking RARE. It’s not!! It WONT be until we DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND SPREAD MORE AWARENESS…
Okay all I am off my soapbox now but like I said before I love Ro like he’s my own and in the words of the LOVELY RoMama, ‘GO BIG OR GO FUCKING HOME!!’…. Goodnight all sweet dreams and don’t forget… Live like a ROckstar (: <33

I wrote my own letter on my blog and sent it to him too. Thanks, Maya! My site is going to be blacked-out later today in protest of the stupid piracy SOPA act the government wants to pass. Isn’t being an American grand? Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh. XOXO

What bothers me most is that in the information you gave it says he did more good then evil, doesn’t sound like it to me. Also he did tabacco provention? Uh hello Mr. A. Becker, that is getting rid of adulthood,second hand and third hand smoke. What difference does it make him to make a bald barbie, is isn’t going to hurt anyone, if for some reason people are offended by the doll they do not have to buy it. I don’t have a child with Cancer but my mother died from Lung Cancer before my daughter was born, I’d buy her the doll. Also my friend lost her three year old son to a rare cancer of the liver and kidney’s, these children do not deserve cancer, and no one for that matter does. I wish that I had enough money to donate to something that actually does work for child hood cancer, we in the world need more funding for it.

Hmm I have a great idea.. how bout mattel make the damn barbies then donate them to the st. Jude gift shop.. that way will be no issue of who would benefit the money would go back to the kids at the jude. Oh wait cause there is nothing in it for them…well can tell ya wont be buy’n anything from them again.. and yes u wont benefit …ever! Mommy to Ryan age 7 fighting medulloblastoma (brain cancer) he at st. Jude!

I am sorry to hear about your son. However, be careful. Mattel donates huge amounts of money and toys to pediatric cancer organizations. Almost every pediatric cancer hospital gets toys donated from Mattel (St. Judes included). If your son was at St. Judes during Christmas I am sure he participated in a gift drive and received numerous donated presents, and I am sure many of those came from Mattel.

Umm, Marley
Mattel doesn’t employ Mr Fuckwad and to sit back and take his pompus BS uneducated statement because Mattel donates toys pediatric hospitals would be a a travisty, This is about so much more than Bald Barbies at this point, it’s about the ACS and their hypocracy , their willingness to even have the balls to speak on the matter when they do so little to help pediatric cancer. Being careful hasn’t gotten Neuroblastoma research and awareness ANYWHERE, being careful is the same as sitting back and taking it, I for one say we should throw being careful out the damn window!

You said it, my precious baby suffered immensely and died from a “exceedingly rare cancer” and then guess what, another little boy two classes over at school got another “exceedingly rare” cancer and died too. A friend up the street in the next town over is at St. Jude’s fighting for her 6 year old’s life. BOYCOTT RELAY FOR LIFE!
Charlotte O’Shea’s Mom

I too have been waiting all day for this post. I knew you would say exactly what I felt. The new Facebook group that I hope goes Viral today is the page to fire Andrew Becker. Let’s bombard him with comments today, bombard the blog with demands for an apology and a reconsideration of how ACS distributes their funds, and cover their Facebook page with complaints and pictures of our “rare” kids with cancer.

I like the idea with the barbie. I Think it does more than “just raise awareness” though. I think that it gives a little girl who lost her hair hope. I think that this little girl would love having this doll and know that she isn’t alone in what she is facing. The outward appearance is such a pressure for young girls these days and the loss of their hair can be a traumatic thing! I see this doll and giving hope and reassurance to a little girl that she is still beautiful!!!

That dude is an fn idiot!!! How can you say childhood cancer is rare but then say almost 1400 children will die from cancer this year! What a douche bag!!! I am the mother of a child with cancer. Emma was diagnosed with T-Cell A. L.L. On Christmas day 2010. She was 3. Today she is still in treatment and just turned 5.

I hope every blog owner posts this today! Particularly since he has now taken down his offensive blog. People need a place they can go and read the original post. Thank you for doing this for all our little warriors!

Agreed, done, and sent. I am going to ask my students to write to him also. Really, jackass. I had a friend die from mesothelioma and she asked that no one donate to the National Cancer Society because they only focus on certain types of cancers (cancers they think will bring in the most money) and because money is spent on CEOs who should be ashamed of themselves for taking such large salaries as children are dying. I have never, nor will I ever, donate to the NCS. But, I do donate to people like you, and I will continue to, because I know that you have a HEART and a BRAIN and a HUGE SET OF BALLS. Ronan’s Army is getting stronger and damnit, I want to wear a bracelet that says that.

We lost my Grandson Lennon age 5,four months ago,a loving boy,my daughter Amanda’s only child and she is a single mother. And not a week later buried next to my son is a little girl age 6 who died of cancer. So don’t me cancer is rare in children. There are so many,but one is too many. My grandson meant something to us alot,and in his name I will fight this ugly disease but I will make people aware of it and help other families who are fighting it for their kids.

What would making this Barbie accomplish? Acknowledgement to suffering children that they are important and cared for enough to be recognized on toy shelves. The adult translation: That their suffering isn’t unnoticed by healthy society. That they are “normal” enough to be represented by an action figure (G.I Joe) or beauty queen (Barbie.)

Where would the money go? See the answer above. In other words, it’s not about money, although it certainly would be great if proceeds went to childhood cancer research.

Would healthy children end up terrorized by the prospect of cancer? Give me a break. Are you terrorized by commercials about erectile dysfunction? You know what’s really terrorizing for kids? To be out in public and spot a bald little kid who is obviously going through a medical ailment and to be shocked, staring and disturbed by the sight of it because they’ve never been exposed to serious childhood disease. Bald Barbie/GI Joe is a conversation starter for healthy kids. That conversation leads to compassion and awareness about different struggles in our communities, outside the happy bubble they live in. Wait a minute: Isn’t that what you just claimed was the merit of you asking these provocative questions? To initiate discussion? Yet you don’t value the same merit of bald Barbie?

I find your arguments far-fetched, heartless and corporate. And this is coming from a parent of two healthy children, so I’m probably much more objective than those who’ve had sick kids. I also do have an MBA, but I recognize that the heart of this issue is not about business. That’s a fact that seems to have been completely lost on you. I may not have been surprised if I’d read these comments in a business journal… But to read them on the ACS website is shocking and a travesty, in my opinion.

Mr Fuckwad calls himself a Director??? A director of what?? Other Fuckwads?? Unbelievable.
Rare cancer? It’s not rare. As rare as Mr Fuckwad thinks childhood cancer is, it should be extinct. No child, no family should ever have to endure cancer. Not now, not ever.

Hi maya
Here’s the letter I sent!
Dear Mr Becker
I’m a follower of Maya M. Thompson ( Ronan’s mama).It makes me sad to think that someone in the position of guiding a organization can be so far removed from the cause. I wanted to take a minute and talk about the ides of awareness. You look at awareness to be “do people understand the meaning of the words childhood cancer”. You look at awareness in a very generic way. I look at awareness as coming together as a community and making change. I look at awareness as supporting someone like Maya Thompson. I look at awareness as giving people the opportunity to talk about their loss.I look at awareness as education. I look at awareness as the total impact it has the the community not just the needed dollars it may raise for the cause. I also have a blog ” Remarkable Marketable Me” . I help the community understand the charities they want to get involved with. Mr Becker, I want to understand you more so I’m hoping to get a response that tells me your a man with compassion and grace. I hope to see you return a letter of kindness to Maya . I would really love for you to thank her for opening the eyes of a father with healthy children and giving to the prospective of the heartbreak that goes along with “Childhood Cancer”. Thank you for your time I look forward to your response.http://remarkablemarketableme.blogspot.com/
—
Make it a remarkable day!
Jean Robb
Remarkable Marketable Me
817-689-8296

Ooh! I want to go kick that guys ass!! I swear, I believe they have a cure and its such a money making business they dont want to cure anyone. I clicked the link and went to his blog, love the comments hes getting!! Mattel can create a freakin Kardashian doll, but not one about cancer?? Maya, I think about you and Ronan everyday, and I am so sorry this is your life now, but just know you have alot of people in your corner. I share your story with everyone I can, you are an amazing person, and mother! Just following your blog for a few months has changed my outlook on many things, and made me want to be the best mother I can be for my little boy. Thank you for sharing your life 🙂

I’m sure your inbox is being flooded right now, so the likelihood is you won’t even see this post, but if you do I hope learn one thing and that is how messed up that blog you wrote was. I am soooo disappointed to know you, as a high up member of the ACS and a father of three, shoot down a small ounce of support for children’s cancer. There is absolutely no harm whatsoever in making a bald Barbie, but the potential benefits are endless! It may bring one last smile to a little girl, who’s on her death bed praying for God to take away the pain she’s been feeling for months or even years. It might bring more awareness towards childhood cancer…more awareness leads to earlier detection. As a mom of twin toddlers I thank God everyday for their health, but I also know that cancer can happen to anyone no matter how young or old. Not to take away from adults who do suffer from cancer but I can GUARANTEE you that I would rather have cancer than to ever have to watch one of my precious children suffer from not only the issues from cancer but even more so the pain they would have to endure from the treatment of it and the long-term effects from the treatments if they were one of the few lucky ones to survive! Can you imagine that for one of your children? Ask yourself this question: would I rather have myself or my kids get cancer and deal with everything that goes along with that? I’m sure you choose neither, however, given the choice I hope a pray that you would choose yourself, as most parents would. There is nothing worse than watching your own child suffer from the flu or cold…..can you imagine what it would be like to watch your own child DIE FROM CANCER???

Enough about the emotional side of the bald Barbie and the good that it could possibly do, let’s talk about the lack of funding that your crappy organization does for childhood cancers…..the statistics make me SICK!!!! You’re organization is called the American CANCER Society right??? Does anywhere in there it say for the treatment of adults only or not including children’s cancers???? NO!!!!!!! So why is it that your group REFUSES to give much support to childhood cancers???? Oh wait, that’s right….because it’s not enough of a money maker and not enough babies and kids are dying. Please, reread that and think about what it sounds like….not ENOUGH babies and kids are dying to warrant the support…..are you kidding me?????? One child dying isn’t enough??????? You will support prostate cancer, (which my own Grandpa had, and ended up being cured and living a very long life after) where a very small percent of men die from, but not childhood cancer, of which the survival rate is significantly less!! Ok, time for some statistics….

-Cancer is the number one killer of children by disease. It is the second leading cause of all childhood deaths exceeded only by accidents.
-One in 330 children will develop cancer before the age of 20. (Does this number have to be 1 in 4 before you’ll do anything about it??)
-On average, 46 children are diagnosed with cancer every day in the United States. (Apparently this isn’t enough either)
-14,000 children will be diagnosed this year with cancer. That is the size of 2 average classrooms every single day, year after year. (Still not enough??)
-Currently there is between 30-40,000 children being treated for cancer in the US.
-Pharmaceutical companies fund over 50% of adult cancer research, but virtually nothing for kids.
-Pediatric cancer research does not receive nearly as much funding as adult cancer research projects. Rhabdoid research dollars are scarce as most money is diverted to well-publicized adult forms of cancer.
-Each year, about 3,000 children die from cancer – more than from asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, congenital anomalies, and pediatric AIDS combined.
-Only about 20% of adults with cancer show evidence that the disease has spread to distant sites on the body at diagnosis yet 80% of children are diagnosed with advanced disease. (So by the time it’s discovered it’s too far spread to cure it often times, but you’re right awareness wouldn’t do anything)
-In the past 20 years only one new cancer drug has been approved for pediatric use. (sickening)
-Only 3% of the budget from the National Cancer Institute goes towards Pediatric Cancer research. (That’s 3% for ALL kinds of Pediatric Cancers combined!) (THIS IS JUST SORRY!!!!)
-AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY: In 2010 directed $0.01 (a penny) to childhood cancer research for every dollar of public support. (Total expenses: $951,123,000 and total directed at childhood cancer research: $11,900,000. Source:ACS) (so NCI gives 3%, but ACS, your organization, only gives 1%….even better!! No wonder you think a bald Barbie is a bad idea. You would get nothing from it!!)
-The incidence of childhood cancer is increasing. The cause of this is unknown.
-Pediatric cancer funding is nominal in comparison to other more publicized diseases such as pediatric AIDS or juvenile diabetes which increases awareness each year.
-Most adult cancers result from lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet, occupation, and exposure to cancer-causing agents. The cause of most childhood cancers in unknown. (so adults cause their own cancer, but kids have nothing to do with the fact that they get it)
-Approximately 70% of children with cancer participate in research trials compared to only 3% of adult cancer patients. As a result, many of the advances in adult cancer treatments are due to breakthroughs in childhood cancer research. (Maybe this will motivate you to do something because apparently kids don’t)
-The government recently CUT the budget for Childhood Cancer research.
-As a nation, we spend $14 BILLION per year on the space program, but only $35 MILLION on childhood cancer research per year. (I think you make close to this in your salary from the ACS don’t you???)

As you sit behind you beautiful mahogany desk, hopefully reading this, I hope this makes you cringe just a little and puts a fire under your butt to do something about it!!!!!!

With all that said, the ACS will not get another single dollar of my money until this changes!!!!!!!!!!!! I know thousands more that feel the same!!!!!!! I will continue to make sure that anyone I encounter knows what a sorry organization you work for too!

I pray that someday you will see the error of your ways, but knowing executives like yourself, I doubt you will even lose an hour of sleep over it, which is so sad.

P.S. Maya, thank you for sharing!! It just adds more fuel to my fire so I can continue to let people know about the reality of these large cancer organizations and how little of their money truly goes toward finding a cure.

Very well put. I am so outraged by this article and the fact that ACS does nothing for our children except sweep them under a rug. I too watch my baby girl die this past year from DIPG, a form of brain cancer. We had 3 months and 12 days with her after diagnosis and mist of that time was spent in the hospital and getting treatment. We too have a following of supporters and are doing what we can to raise awareness as well as funding for research. If you want please check out my Gabby’s website at http://www.getwellgabby.org. She was 5!!!!

Thank you for posting this reply. I read his article as well and it’s so ignorant. He has no understanding of how traumatizing childhood cancer can be. How dare he call it rare!?! I see it everywhere. He received a LONG email from me as well. I hope he’s flooded with emails maybe somebody will get thru that thick skull of his.

Maya, I would buy a plane ticket and fly to New York with you when you go. Oh, but guess what Mr. Fuckwad Andrew Becker, it’s your lucky day because I have to stay in Phoenix. I will be sitting on the 7th floor with my five year old daughter, Elizabeth, fighting childhood cancer.

Let’s add another blog reader to those hits Maya gets every day! Make that several more, as I am sending over the thousands of people I know, as well! I hope you suffer greatly in life, at some point, for your stupidity and ignorant, Becker! You can hide behind your pre-written, damage control apology, which it wasn’t even that, but rather an excuse for your ignorant behavior, but you can’t hide from God and you will have to answer to him!

Loved this post! Way to go Mommy Maya!!!! Couldn’t have said it better myself! So much love to you and your family!

I can not believe that, he is being the biggest ASSHOLE right now. We need to raise awareness on childhood cancer, it sad to see children of all ages suffer. I to would like to know where is the money going because I for one do not want to pay no damn CEO. That money needs to go where it belongs to finding a cure, children and there families who get turned out because they can’t pay any more. This is total BULLSHIT, I am right there with you, keep it up Maya!!!!

I read this yesterday and got so mad I could hardly breathe. I haven’t supported the ACS since 1998 when I found out that at that time, while my baby was fighting neuroblastoma, ACS allocated exactly ZERO DOLLARS to childhood cancers. I also was waiting for your post. I got all excited when I saw the title and ran over to show my husband. I have emailed this buttface about his ignorance as well. There is no excuse for anyone to be this uneducated, but for someone in his position? Where he is “employed”? Rediculous! We will ALL support you always!!! Whatever you need!!! All for your beautiful boy!
Kris

While I completely agree with you concerning American Cancer Society, this is not a new stance. Andrew will not be fired for saying Childhood cancer is rare, because that comes straight out of the ACS handbook, it is what they all say when you ask why none of their money goes towards researching childhood cancer. That is why St. Baldricks and Cure search exist, to fill the gap that ACS has left!

But that is not my main point, my point is please be careful before jumping on the bald barbie campaign! I have added two links to some wonderful articles (better then Andrew Beckers) about why this might not be the best platform for childhood cancer. Mary Tyler Mom is a blogger herself who lost her daughter to cancer three years ago and is also doing incredible things for pediatric cancer, please read “Donna’s Cancer Story”http://www.chicagonow.com/mary-tyler-mom/2012/01/barbie-v-cancer/

and the other article has some wonderful points, maybe the best one being that there already are bald dolls for kids going through chemo! Kimmie cares and Komfy kids are two such companies that are made by parents who have lost children to cancer.

Maya, please stand up and use your voice for other parents! Support these small non-profits that will be obliterated if a big company (who actually does do a lot for children with cancer) starts producing this bald barbie.

I work in Pediatric Cancer, I am surrounded by it every day! These kids do not need more toys, ask to see the toy closet at any Pediatric hospital or cancer non-profit. We are toy overwhelmed! I will repeat the genius words of Mary Tyler Mom,

‘Believe me when I say, from the bottom of my broken heart, that children with cancer could use the kind of money that Mattel takes in during a single holiday season spent on research much more than they can use dolls that resemble them in follicles only. Let’s get real, okay? If we wanted our dolls to look like our girls — if that is the premise behind the call for a bald Barbie — said dolls would not be built like unattainable fantasies of what women should look like.’

It’s not about toys or lack of, it’s about not feeling different or like coveted secrets that only gets pity glances, long, weird stares, or my favorite, those who quickly advert their eyes away. If bald were the “norm,” then these children wouldn’t have to endure the above mentioned uncomfortable moments, which make them feel less than beautiful. It’s about being aware that pediatric cancer exists and a cure is needed.
Working in Pediatric Cancer and having a a child with pediatric cancer are not the same “reals.” I think all of us could agree, Barbie’s figure/body shape is not the average female shape, but it’s the name that we all identify with and know. Money towards research for a cure is much needed, but, the children currently getting diagnosed or living with cancer could benefit from a toy they may relate to or makes them feel better about themselves too.
I respect what Mary Tyler Mom is saying, she is simply asking for the money to be donated instead of buying a doll. However, I think there is strong statistics proving that since, Breast Cancer awareness started, there are fewer dying of the cancer and more survivors. Whether it is more doing monthly self checks, seeking medical attention quicker, having regular mammograms, better treatment plans and the list continues. But, the first step was a greater awareness and getting everyone comfortable with talking about “it.” The same needs to happen with pediatric cancers and if Mattel making a Barbie does that, then it seems like a win-win to me.

RARE DISEASE? RARE DISEASE? Who are you to make that decision? How are there floors and floors and whole hospitals full of children with cancer or other terminal diseases? Have you been there? Have you seen the suffering of just one child? And what if we aren’t talking just about children? How many millions of women AND children are suffering from breast cancer or so many childhood cancers that this barbie couldn’t join the mass production of some of the trashy barbies that are being put out these days? Awareness all leads to a cure and I fully support the making of a bald barbie so that I too can explain to my children the importance of a disease that is killing so many people these days….I hope I am able to raise my children to be sensitive to everyone who is in need of a little support, putting their feelings in front of money!

He has since removed the original article and replaced it with his responce

I want to sincerely apologize for the pain my post, which I have now removed, has caused. Like many other committed staff members and volunteers at the American Cancer Society, I have lost loved ones to cancer, and I work here because I want to help end the suffering caused by the disease. But losing a child to cancer (or for any other reason) is unimaginable to me. The idea of having one of my children diagnosed with cancer is a pain I cannot comprehend. I am sorry for making anybody feel marginalized. It was not what I intended. It is not how I feel.

When I set out to write I wanted to raise questions about activism and social media around disease. I did not mean to imply that I or the American Cancer Society believe that sick children are not important. Indeed I wrote that each of these cases is tragic, and that the children and their families deserve both sympathy and support. That is what I believe.

I am committed to repairing the relationship between the advocates I have upset and the American Cancer Society. The idea that my words would cause people to lose faith in the good work of the Society is horrifying to me. The Society succeeds because of our more than three million volunteers, and because of millions of others who generously support our work. In my more than four years working at ACS I have seen one example after another of this organization’s incredible mission being carried out, and each time, I am inspired. I have also seen success that extends to all of us, as cancer incidence and death rates continue to drop. I hope I have not jeopardized the good will that makes this progress possible.

Well, asbecker has retracted and “updated” his previous post! I emailed him as well, which I requested he apologize for his harsh words and lack of compassion post. AND, I asked that he lead the way in heading his own words of making a large (larger than his suggested $10-20) contribution to a pediatric cancer organization of his choice (not breast cancer, guess he confused the two) in honor of the non-totem, having children who have endured the rare pediatric cancer diagnosis and all that subsequently follows.
Hopefully, more will join in the social media pressure and ask that he make a contribution to show his sincere commitment, “to help end the suffering caused by the disease.”

The irony of posting about not using social media to bully on a social media outlet.
Social Media Pressure = 1
asbecker = -1

I have 3 “healthy” children and I am outraged! I have read your blog Maya from the start and its my nightly ritual to see how you are doing! I cannot believe however that this douche bag would have the nerve to write something like this. I lost my Dad to cancer 4 years ago and it was horrifying…traumatizing…there is not a day that goes by that I dont hear the sound of his gasping for air and his body slamming to his hospital bed for air!! UGH…disgusts me…My Dad was a TERRIFIC husband…and crazy fantastic father and the proudest Grandpa there ever was…Whats the reason?? Suffering?? There are no answers…and as hard as it is to go day by day….it is NOT COMPREHENDABLE for a child to have to endure sickness…this evil sickness…!!! Shame on this asshole for making this statement…shame on him for being a father of 3 healthy children and not knowing if he, his wife or his kids would one day be another statistic…ONE CHILD IS TOO MANY to have CANCER!!! In this world we live in we can send a Man to the moon, we can make incredible things happen all for a mighty dollar…but a cure for cancer …a cure for a Child is not priority??? DOesn’t make sense! Although I personally feel that cancer is a HUGE money maker in its field and with a cure Doctors and Radiologist and Hospitals and Pharmacists would lose too much $$…Think about what chemo costs? Think about what a pet scan costs…and then multiply that by thousands a day….Its a shame! I hope this piece of shit goes to bed the same way Maya does…her aching body….her sleepless nights…her crazy ass nightmares…I hope Ronan tortures him in his dreams tonight!!

My message to him that I just sent! Thank you Maya! You and RO are making a difference!

Dear Mr. Andrew Becker,

I have so many thoughts coming to mind! I’m so embarrassed that as the director of your company you would dismiss the idea of this bald Barbie doll. Aren’t you suppose to be the advocate for the people who suffer from cancer? Or is it just that you only care about certain people that suffer from can cancer? Retracting your statement will not fix anything. The problem with this is how you felt about it, your true feelings about it! I don’t have any kids and no one in my family has died of cancer YET. & I still have the knowledge to know that what you have said is so heartless! I will never ever support your organization and make sure that everyone I know doesn’t either. And with me being an RN that’s a lot of people that won’t be supporting you any longer!!!!!

Dear Mr. Becker,
You can’t take it back. You already said it you and you can’t erase, remove it, update it. It’s out there and the damage is done. You posted it and you know what that means. Once it’s on the internet, it’s there forever! I can’t believe you removed your post! You should have left it there and owned up to it. Oh, but then again, you are probably worried about losing your job for your pompous, insensitive, idiotic, none-in-touch remarks.

I also want to say something about his statement that there are so many “pink” things out there to spread awareness and don’t actually give money to the cause. The fact that there is so much “pink” out there has probably saved so many lives in itself. Does EVERYTHING have to be about a dollar or a statistic? I wish I had a bald Barbie when I was 11 and my Mom got cancer. I truly thought my family was the only people in the world that got cancer. I felt that I must have done something wrong. A bald Barbie would have been comforting.
Mr. Becker missed the whole point.

Maya- you’re ROmazing! Yep, ROmazing! We will take care of this asswad fuckface for you. Thank you for the info…. keep it up, you spicy woman! Love to you and Ro and your fam. And seriously…. our new “friend” better take a vacay asap, because you are going to NY next week and if he knows what’s good for him, he will get the fuck out of there. Lots of love. You’re ROmazing!

Why are you being so mean? This guy works for the American Cancer Society. I’m sure he could get paid a lot more working for big drug company or something, but instead he devotes every day to helping people with cancer, which is a lot more than most people can say. Isn’t he entitled to an opinion? And aren’t there more deserving recipients of this anger?

After this public relations debacle, I am sure companies will be busting his door down to hire him. NOT! He works for his big executive salary he earns. Please do not be fooled into thinking he does not make a great salary simply because he works for a non-profit. Check out the salaries of their executives. They actually are paid quite well. As I said in my blog, he has the right to an opinion, but he is wrong, and we have the right to tell him as much. By the way, tons of people can say they work tirelessly to help people with cancer everyday, as volunteers, not receiving executive salaries. Also love the post on his twitter where he shows the wonderful view from his front porch while he is “working”. You know what the view across my street is in the morning: one of my best friends taking her daughter to chemo. He needs a stiff dose of reality.

I myself had a mother who had breast cancer when I was 6, she was only 39. I couldn’t understand why she lost her hair, along with a lot of other things that happened at that time, but I remember her wig scared me even more. She wore it because it wasn’t ‘normal’ to be a bald woman. Maybe if something like this would have been out there, she wouldn’t have felt so uncomfortable. Maybe not, but I can’t understand why Mattel wouldn’t want to make it…unless of course it doesn’t lead to profits, in which case, that’s simply selfish.

Just because you don’t talk about something, does not mean it isn’t there. you can pretend that by denying a bald Barbie you are protecting children from fear, but with education on the subject I have no doubt that it would ignite a strength that you or I can not imagine. There is no other soul alive that needs more reassurance than that of a dying child. if you helped one child feel comfort when facing such a scary unknown battle, then I would count your effort as a success. regardless of money spent, or any other argument you may have, compassion is worth more than dollar signs. look into the eyes of a desperate child whom you help and you will know that you are not in debt, but rich with a gratitude and love unequal to anything.

This guy is the definition of MORON!!! Having successfully raised tens of thousands of dollars for St. Jude Children Research Hospital, and spending 4 years of my life helping my god daughter fight for hers only to end up loosing to the “rare” disease of AML LEUKEMIA I will be maki g a video of her beautiful bald gorgous photos and sending it to Mr. Fucktard himself. This has unleashed a fury in my I have never felt. What fucking genius does it take to know hundreds of new patients walk in the door of St. Jude and other children’s oncology hospitals around the works EVERYDAY. I felt very blessed and saddened at the same time to meet all the wonderful families and children I met during our fight. Having only been a few short months since we lost our precious Zowie this jackass has no idea what he has just unleashed but I am sure he is finding out very quickly. As with your millions of soldiers I to will unleash my millions of soldiers and top affluent supporters on this ignoramus moron!! Zowie Kile was a 7yr old angel when she lost her battle in August. During her 4 year battle I watched her cry everytime she lost her hair until one day she decided screw this I’m gonna make it fun and on our 3rd relapse she actually laughed as she took the vacuum and sucked the hair off her head do she didn’t have to watch it fall out peice by peice. She then decided she was tired of people starring at her so she started wearing tattoos on her head to give them something to look at. She was so brave and fought so hard never loosing hope she would beat this disease. Because of her and the hundreds of families I was blessed to meet they changed my life forever in a good way. I will never give up the battle for Zowie or any child/family battling this “rare” disease. I would never wish cancer on my worst enemy but I would be lying if I said I didn’t think about wishing him in these kids place. I am so glad I came across your blog. I use to write everyday on Zowie’s caring bridge blog but stopped after loosing her and falling into a deep depression. Seeing this reminds me of why I won’t give up the fight. God Bless You and your children!

Oh Mr. Asshole Fuckwad Becker, you have fucked with the wrong mama!! We are her Mafia and we stand 100% behind every word she wrote. I will never support the Relay for Life again. I will never donate a cent to this organization. I will tell everyone I ever meet not to donate to this organization. If we can’t support our children and help them fight for their lives, we have no right to even be breathing. Yes, every cancer should be funded. Yes, every life should be saved. But since that is not the case, I personally believe if I had to choose to save my 37 year old life or a child’s life, I’d choose the child. Yes, I am young and have many years of living left, yes I have a family that loves me, but I have lived life. I have gone to the prom, I have driven my first car, I have stayed out all night, I have gotten married, I have had children, I have had a career…you cannot say that about a 3 yr old child. These are the lives we need to save. I am not saying we should stop research on all other cancers, just saying that the research for childhood cancer should be funded just as equally, if not more, than breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer, etc.
It’s great that we can save the tatas, but the only reason we have them is to feed our young. If our young are dead from cancer…why bother with the tatas??

I wonder, if Mattel won’t do it, couldn’t it be done on our own? It doesn’t have to be a Barbie does it? I mean what if a line of Rockstar dolls can be made that aren’t Barbies and any net proceeds can go whereever you want? This would, unfortunately assume that it can be a sustainable as a business idea (that you can sell enough to cover expenses). Since there are some great celebrities that are your fans, maybe they can help with marketing?

He has a blog!!!!
So, I was on Twitter and found him:
Andrew Becker
@ABeckr
Dir of Media Relations, American Cancer Society National Home Office. Dad, dude, would-be humorist. These opinions are mine alone.
dadlessly.blogspot.com
His bog is about how hard his life has been since losing his father to………cancer.

Lying in bed with my daughter at children’s hospital with 105 fever from mouse antibody treatment I read this post.
http://rockstarronan.com/2012/01/17/dear-mr-fuckwad-andrew-becker-of-the-american-cancer-society/

Dude, you pissed a lot of people off. Me included. It’s gonna take a lot more than removing your blog post to change people’s minds about your arrogant comments.

Maya, can u please email me the best phone number to reach you? I would love to do a story about this & bring awareness to this issue on ABC15. I worked with Deliece Hofen in Kansas City when I worked at FOX4. She passed along this blog to me. Thanks! Stephanie Hockridge. SHockridge@abc15.com

Mr Becker should read some of the hundreds of blogs and webpages about all these children who are truly SUFFERING through treatments, surgeries, diagnosis’ over and over and over! And that’s if they are lucky enought to still be alive! 2, 3, 4 year olds Suffering, their parents tortured making decision after decission , living day to day minute to minute suffering to keep their children alive, waiting for new research, treatments to be discovered before their most precius gift may die! How can this one little toy be wrong, if it makes 1 child SUFFFERING smile? Why is this #1 KILLER OF CHILDREN not being better funded, better aware of, why? So many whys? Look at these childrens pages, watch the videos of them suffering laying in hospital beds , see what the reality is! I am not a parent of a child with cancer, but I have become passionate in the fight after reading them-maybe you would gain some needed insighr! Praying for someone to finally – GET IT! Praying for someone to help !!!!

While I feel for you as a parent, and can never imagine losing a child… Please get your facts straight before you go on a tirade that could cause serious harm to an organization that has done TREMENDOUS things for the treatment of cancer and cancer patients. 1st, as far as the Barbie issue, while I’m not sure why Mr. Becker felt the need to comment on this (especially when he chose his words so poorly) other than the fact that he has a valid point concerning direct donations vs awareness material. The fact of the matter is though, that childhood cancer is rare, and of childhood cancers, forms of leukemia are the most prominent (http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Sites-Types/childhood). These forms are not isolated to children alone, meaning ALL research funds directed towards leukemia will benefit both adults and children. ACS’s allocation of funds are publicly available at http://www.bbb.org/charity-reviews/national/cancer/american-cancer-society-in-atlanta-ga-186 and you will see that only 9% of the funds are allocated to administration, which includes salaries. I think you have some real misconceptions about organizations like this and what it takes to run them. In 2010, of the $144 million allocated to research, $14 million, roughly 10%, was allocated to childhood cancer research, but remember that child also benefit from all types of cancer research and the ACS allocated 42 million to the causes and treatment of leukemia (http://www.cancer.org/myacs/Ohio/areahighlights/ohio-research-faqs). These numbers are comparable to the NCI (http://fundedresearch.cancer.gov/). So again, while I understand your frustration, and Mr. Becker’s response was not a very well thought out one, neither was yours and you should be the better person and try to come up with a intelligent response when you have calmed down. Also, please do not slander an organization that has done a lot for cancer.

If I had a dime for every time someone like you started spouting off Talking Points like “remember adult cancer research helps kids too”, your right you couldn’t enev begin to imagine what it’s like to see your child sick and wasted away from chemo that was developed for adults 20 years ago! You Have NO IDEA how it feels. Quit boot licking the ACS if they were as great as you say then several hundred thousand cancer parents wouldn’t. be so pissed at them right now. This didn’t start with the Barbie debate or with Becker it’s been brewing for quite some time YOU just didn’t see it coming because you don’t have to live in our world.

This JACKWAD pisses me off! I can count 5 kids in our school district alone, and the baby of one teacher, that have/had childhood cancer! And thats just within the last 6 years. Tell me how thats rare!!

I am appalled by the ridiculous response by this man. ‘Childhood cancer is exceedingly rare’…..asshole
What planet does this man live on. While our daughter was undergoing life saving heart surgery we had a lot of time to spend going through the wards at BC Children’s Hospital.
I seriously hope they can put someone with half a brain and some compassion in charge in his wake. You can be sure I will not donate another dime until he is removed. Not a threat – that is a promise.

Guarantee he would see it differently if the tables were turned! Has he become so immune to his job?!!! If I see something I am planning on buying and there is the same thing right next to it but it raises cancer awareness I buy that one!!

I beg of the mafia to keep going. The time is right to expose the marginalization of Pediatric Cancer by the ACS. If you have a media contact, let them know about this story. Share this blog post with your friends on facebook (particularly since the original post by Mr. Becker has been removed), tweet about it, go to the ACS FB page and let them see your anger. Relay for Life teams are fund raising right now and many of the people participating have no idea about the lack of funding for childhood cancer. Let them know so they can ask hard questions of the ACS. As adults, we have to be the voice for our children, our friends’ children, children we don’t even know. The ACS thinks this will blow over and it will be back to business as usual. We owe it to these brave warriors to continue to fight for them, to be their voice. Heck no, in honor of RO, we won’t go!

Nice to see adults acting like a bunch of school yard bullies. If you could only see what you look like. I’m sure your kids would be proud to see the language you use and to see you personally attack another person. A person that none of you know. If you want to be pissed at the ACS, so be it. But to do what you are doing to one of the most caring people I know and someone who is a fantastic father and husband is a disgrace. And it takes away from what your message should be which is to help kids with cancer and to find cures for all cancer. Personal attacks on someone will do nothing to help any of your kids. A mob mentality really doesn’t look very good at all.

Your absolutely right! We should be thanking your douchbag friend for talking out of his ass, his idiotic and hurtful statements caused a rally of pediatric cancer parents bigger than I have ever seen and with awareness being a key part of the fight his uneducated statements is being circulated around the country like a wildfire. As to your statement about trying to cure “ALL cancer” that’s what I hear from all the ACS bootlickers who wouldn’t have a CLUE what it’s like to have a child suffering or dying from cancer while watching the ACS spend more on paychecks than our children! I admire the fact that you are sticking up for your friend but you can’t “SHAME” us, #1. we have no shame because our kids are dying and we’re trying to save them and #2. YOUR FRIEND WAS WRONG!!!!!

Clint,
I can live with people saying that they do not agree with Andrew. I can live with people saying he was wrong. I can live with people being up in arms with the ACS. But when you personally attack someone who you do not know, and attack his family, then you have crossed the line. And to start a fb page to spew more venom at Andrew.? Really? As I said, I do not pretend to know what any of you have and are going through and I hope I never do. I was scared enough watching my father go through two bouts of cancer and thank G-D he is still with us I can’t imagine it being my kids. I think you need to fight and yell and scream. But you need to do it to the right people. Not someone like Andrew.

As much as I am saddened of your loss, I do not feel that a bald barbie is the answer, The one reason most girls get Barbies is to give them “make overs” and cut their hair.. I owned dozens that would all start off with long hair and eventually end up looking like GI Jane…how about Mattel markets one dressed all in pink for cancer ’cause what is next, a mastectomy?? I’m all for raising awareness, but please leave little girls innocent for a while longer.
Should we also push for Prostate Cancer Ken?? Oh wait, he’s not anatomically correct, so he’s got no worries.
Personally attacking Andrew is not going to bring your son back – this ‘blog’ and language is offensive and a disgrace. It shows a lack of morals.

The comment that pissed me off the most was the comparison to lightning strikes. I’ve been in the room with my son 21 times when they bolted his head to a table in order to purposely beam radiation directly into his brain and 11 times into his spine. When he asked me, “If they need an 18 inch thick door to protect everyone from the radiation, why is it ok to shoot it straight into my head and back?” Damn good question. One that the ACS couldn’t be bothered to try to answer by funding research for the kids.

Always behind you and always have been , no other way to tell Mr Fuckwad, or as Glen says Mr Pecker, This is a disgrace to and for our children and if anything maybe he can be removed and replaced by a real man who allocates money for our kids. No one will change Maya and her cause, if you haven’t followed her or Ronan you have no place to comment on her language, You are not the mother who lost her son, so talk as you will, I support you as always Maya, keep going strong, love from me as always

I would not Give to the American Cancer Society. After Cancer is there business, and they need to keep the business alive. Now I give to the Mayo Clinic, I know they do good work and research. They Saved my life.